


drowning

by YAMAGUWUCHI



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Aquaphobia, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Lowercase, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:34:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25781431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YAMAGUWUCHI/pseuds/YAMAGUWUCHI
Summary: in which minho is drowned with his fear, and jisung pulls him to the surface.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 3
Kudos: 100





	drowning

**Author's Note:**

> TW: this fic is heavily focused on aquaphobia, so please don’t read if it will make you uncomfortable !!

"c'mon, drink," is the first thing minho hears when he comes back to reality, a gatorade bottle pressed lightly to his lips, a hand on the back of his head. 

he freaked out. he couldn't contain his panic of the water curling around his legs, the sand sucking his feet into the ground. it was too much for him to handle, the cameras following him around only adding to his heavy breathing. 

they were filming a skz talker, brought out to the ocean for a relaxing day, as their staff called it. despite chan's requests to choose a different place, and minho saying he didn't feel well, he was forced to go and endure the crash sounding of waves and sickly smell of the beach. 

it was fine at the beginning, really. laying on a towel, headphones in and scrolling through his phone was as good enough as it'd get until they could go back to the hotel. 

then, the staff dragged him to where the water lapped at their ankles, like it wanted to pull him in and swallow him whole. he was terrified, clinging closely to jisung, shivering in his arms while pictures of them were being taken. he couldn't even muster up a fake smile, the feeling sloshing at his feet too prominent for him to ignore. 

he didn't even realize when the camera was lowered, when the other members dispersed with a wave of jisung's hand, to continue enjoying the day off. he just felt the ocean clawing at him, the mush of sand. 

he didn't register when jisung, who still held him in his arms, slowly walked them back to their towels. he felt the sand spring up from the ground and stick to his skin, water dripping down his legs. 

he couldn't breathe, couldn't feel jisung rubbing his back and brushing away the clinging substances. 

only when his skin was dry and cleaned, he relaxed. he leant heavily on jisung and accepted the drink, letting jisung help him hold it, because his hands were still shaking. 

"feeling a bit better?" jisung asked gently, closing the lid on the bottle and sitting it aside. 

"yeah, sorry," minho said, quietly and quickly. he felt guilty. though grateful for his help, jisung could be having fun instead of staying by his side. "you can go have fun now." 

"not a chance," jisung said, smiled, and he wrapped his arms around the elder. 

"jisung, seriously," minho mumbled, "i'm fine, no need to baby me." 

"i can't sit with my boyfriend just cause i want to?" the younger pouted. 

minho, still clearly shaken up and unable to properly clear his mind, said "you're acting like i'm a fragile damsel in distress. i can help myself." 

and, god, they were really about to get into a fight on their one day off. 

jisung rolled his eyes, "you cannot help yourself. you'd still be standing in the water if it weren't for me. stop acting stubborn and refusing to acknowledge you need help sometimes." 

"okay," minho mumbled, facing the ground to hide the tears welling in his eyes. 

\- 

back at the hotel, after jisung had begged the managers to allow felix and him to switch rooms so the latter could be with minho, minho stood hesitantly in front of the bathtub while jisung was getting his suitcase. 

it'd been years since the last time he couldn't even bare to take a shower. the water finding every crevice of his body was too overwhelming. he was embarrassed, didn't know how to explain to jisung when he came back that he just couldn't do it. 

he had to, though, because the scent of the ocean, the sand still sticking to him, the sweat needed to be washed off. 

jisung wasn't clueless, as many portrayed him to be. he knew when he came back, the shower may be turned on, but minho wouldn't be in it. he didn't know the root of his fear, but realized how much it affected the older. 

jisung sat his suitcase next to minho's, and he gently pushed open the bathroom door. the shower wasn't on, and minho had only taken off his shirt, staring at the tub as if in pain. 

"hyung," jisung said calmly, "we need to shower, right?" 

minho nodded, didn't open his mouth. he still felt bad about earlier, talking to jisung like a whiny brat. 

"we'll take one together, okay?" jisung asked. 

they'd seen all of each other, of course they had, they're lovers. 

minho nodded again, undressing slowly while jisung turned on the water. 

jisung was patient. despite constantly moving throughout the day, having bursts of energy around the people he was close with, he slowed and calmed down in times of distress. times where minho or any of the other members needed to be handled with care, not loud noises and shaking limbs. 

"i'll go in first. take your time," jisung said, voice unwavering. his heart was rapidly beating, though, anxiety filling him. he was worried about minho, how he would perform tomorrow at schedules, if he would become closed off to everyone. it had happened before. 

jisung stepped into the searing hot water, adjusting the temperature slightly. they both liked scalding showers, and hopefully that brought minho out of his mind. the shower wasn't like the chill of the ocean, wasn't salty or creature filled. 

it took a few minutes for minho to hesitantly step into the tub. he was still jittery, still thinking of the ocean lapping at his ankles, trying to pull him in. 

"it's okay," jisung mumbled, reaching out for the elder and taking his hands. the water from his skin went to minho's, but it didn't seem to bother him. "do you want to get under the shower head now or wait a bit. take your time, okay? i'm not rushing you." 

"now," minho whispered. 

he held jisung's hands tighter, ensuring that the younger wouldn't let go. they slowly moved around each other, until minho's side came in the way of the water pouring down. 

he flinched, leaned forward into jisung's chest, letting go of his hands and clutching at his back. 

jisung didn't say anything, allowed minho to move at his own pace. slowly, but surely, his whole body was under the stream. 

the younger washed him, threading delicate fingers through his hair, running calm hands down his skin. 

"sorry," minho said when jisung was no longer cleaning him. they were just standing under the water, minho calm with the other's presence. "about earlier. i was a  
being a dick, i know." 

"no need to apologize," jisung said, leant back to look minho in the eyes. "i get it. you couldn't think clearly. it's okay." 

"just feel bad, is all," minho mumbled, letting his insecurities out to the one person he'd ever showed that side of to. 

"it's okay," jisung said, and minho believed him, believed every word he ever spoke. "i wasn't upset then, and i'm not now." 

minho hummed, content with knowing jisung wasn't ever angry towards him. 

the younger lead minho out of the shower by hand, wrapping them both in those fluffy hotel towels. he grabbed another off the shelf, rubbing it through the elder's hair to somewhat dry it. he did the same to his own, then they left the bathroom to get dressed. 

though never wanting to admit it, minho loved being pampered, especially after a day filled with barely breathing and intrusive thoughts. 

he dressed himself, then allowed jisung to take their towels back to the bathroom to hang on the shower rack. 

they were instantly cuddled close together when jisung returned, crawling into bed after plugging in his phone. 

"thank you for taking care of me," minho said softly, breath finally evened out, eyes slipping closed with sleep. 

"always," the younger answered easily. 

always, minho repeated in his head, and held a smile on his lips as he drifted off.

**Author's Note:**

> this isn’t my best work, but i hope you enjoyed !! if you did, please leave kudos and a comment. also, if there were any mistakes, please point them out !!


End file.
